Mary Elizabeth Holt
April 28, 1918 - June 16, 2009
In Loving Memory...
Mary Elizabeth Barber was born in Spokane Washington April 28th 1918 to Carrie and Earl Barber. They followed Earl’s job working for the railroad as they settled Auburn Washington, where they lived on a farm for the next few years. She and her sister Wilma Barber followed Carrie around tending to the chickens and livestock. Later they moved to Seattle where she attended Ballard High School until graduation in1936. During her high school years she became President of the Girls Club. Little did she know how important the Girls Club would become to her in her later years. The Ballard High School Annual notes her hobbies as hairdressing, noting her ambition was to make her hobby her profession. Mother had the unique knack of perfecting skills while combining them with value & virtues
Her 20’s found her further developing her sense of grace and elegance. These are two qualities that describe Mary through out her life. She soon was applying her ambitions successfully as she started her professional career cutting hair at the Malloy Manor in Laurelhurst. This is where she met her lifelong friend Anita Staples. Together they were hairdressers, cutting hair in shops in Magnolia, then for the downtown Bon Marche, and eventually starting their own extremely successful salon in 1944.
Her 30’s & 40’s Mary raised her family. Mom met Jack B. Holt at the end of World War II, where after a 2 year courtship, they married in 1946. The first home they purchased was on Lake Washington on Rivera Place and 123rd Ave NE. In 1949 they helped start the baby boom by having the twins, Jeffrey Alan & Judith Anne Holt. Unfortunately the house was to small for the family of four, so they moved into Grandpa Holt’s house in Ballard. They lived 3 blocks away from Jack’s sister Alice & husband, Mel Lewis. The family spent many hours back and forth between the 2 households. In addition, there were Sunday dinners and family visits to Grandpa Holt’s place on Puget Sound. It was then she retired for a period of time to take care of her growing family. Contributing again to the boom, Brian James was born in 1955.
Mary went back to work in 1959, working again with Anita. They started Anita Charles Beauty School, then Anita Charles School of Fashion, and finally A C Permahair. At AC Permahair, they were the 1st shop to provide hair weaving in the Seattle area.
1962 found the Holts moving to their new home in Bellevue. Sunday dinners were always special with Grandma Barber. She would sit at the kitchen table shucking beans while mom cooked the pot roast. This tradition continued the rest of her life. Again she combined family values, love of good party and her passion for cooking, creating signature dishes of shrimp crepes, manicotti, Indian chicken curry or panacacas.
As the twins graduated high school, Mom found herself developing her talents with sewing, knitting, and creating a secure and loving family life. As part of her legacy, every child has handmade sweaters and afghan’s created by Mary.
In 1974 Mary and Jack bought their house in Kirkland and Grandma Barber living with them. For the next several years Mary loved and nurtured not only her children, but her mom as well.
In 1980 Jack died and Mary continued caring for the family continuing her hair weaving business in Seattle. She loved the interaction with clients and challenge of making people feel secure and looking their best. She kept her business going until she was 82 before she finally put the closed sign on her door.
Life after retirement centered around friends and family. This is where the “The Girl’s Club” formed where Mom quickly became president again. The group consisted of four women and a sacrificial man, that met weekly for appetizers, drinks, and jokes that were in the “over 21” category. Mary’s quiet nature and elegant style were underscored by a sharp sense of humor and irony at life’s turns. The group continued from the late 80’s up to their last meeting in 2008 at Mom’s 90th birthday party at Silver Glen, her home since 2001.
Never to stay still, she poured herself into reading, crossword puzzles, making handmade cards and friendship. She was fortunate at Silver Glen to find many unexpected circles of friends that were generous and enriching.
Mary Holt will be remembered for her soft-spoken ability to combine her passion and drive with grace and elegance. She was a loving, caring and intensely loyal friend to all who met her. We are blessed to have been able to walk with her and thankful she is at peace.
Funeral Information
Memorial service followed by reception at Silver Glen Retirement Center 1684 152nd Ave NE, Bellevue, WA. 98007 (425) 957-1032 on Saturday, June 20th, 2009 at 2PM. Inurnment service will be on Sunday, June 21, 2009 at Crown Hill Cemetery in Seattle (time pending).
